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We are now in mid-July 1985.. the weather is hotting up and we are getting excited about our trip in September to Hawaii..

12th July 1985

Dear M & D,

Thanks for your latest newsy letter, sounds like you have been pretty busy between debating societies, trips and visitor. I am sorry that Ethel has not been well and I am sure that the wet weather you have been having has not helped. There are times when I wish we were closer to be any help when things are not going well. It is tough being thousands of miles away and feeling helpless.

We had a quiet weekend, playing tennis and relaxing. Last night was the first meeting of the new residents’ social committee and we have got some plans together for the next few months. Seems that I will have a few duties to perform, especially when it comes to shopping for events, as I am one of the few people not working. That’s fine and very happy to do it as the parties bring the whole community together, and we have a lot of fun. I have extra time on my hands now that the little girl I was looking after is in kindergarten. The main parties take place once a month and there is one scheduled for during your visit. I am sure it will be something to write home about to the grandchildren!

On the home front we have bought a VCR, as we both find the long advert breaks annoying. It seems like every ten minutes for ten minutes. It is so irritating when watching a movie. And often you are in the middle of eating your dinner, when you are confronted with recommendations for Preparation H for haemorrhoids or graphic images of acid reflux. Now we record programmes that we want to watch, then play them back, fast forwarding through the ads.

I have had some photos developed and including one of me and my friend Debby who I play tennis with. She is great company, and with David away such a lot it is very comforting to have her and the others here who have taken me under their wings.

Everyone is excited to meet you. I do have the habit of referring to you Mollie as the Duchess, and for some reason our friends are under the impression that you are a Duchess.. so don’t let me down. However, the tiara is probably best left at home as they are a little more casual here!

Tonight we have a birthday party for our German friends. There are eight of us with four nationalities which is interesting, and as everyone is bringing a dish with them, it should be a veritable feast. The weather has been very hot and muggy at 100 degrees, and thank goodness we have air conditioning, otherwise it would be unbearable. None of us really want to eat stodgy food at the moment so steak, salad, jacket potatoes, loaded (as they say over here) with sour cream, cheddar and bacon bits (I will be good tomorrow!). There will also be Key Lime Pie that you won’t find in the UK, but is light and delicious (well that is what I tell myself). One of the advantages of having people come to us is that the leftovers stay in our fridge! Not for long…….

David is home this week but goes to Chicago on Sunday for six days. We have decided that I won’t go, as we are saving money for our holiday in three weeks. We are getting very excited as Hawaii has always been this exotic paradise that you feel you will only ever see on National Geographic or Magnum P.I ( you won’t have seen the series but you can watch when you are here). It is still nearly 4000 miles from here, but because it is such a popular holiday destination there are plenty of flights available. We are flying to Los Angeles, staying overnight and then flying across the Pacific the next day.

Not a great deal of news this week but counting the days until you arrive.

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About Smorgasbord - Variety is the Spice of Life.

My name is Sally Cronin and I am doing what I love.. Writing. Books, short stories, Haiku and blog posts. My previous jobs are only relevant in as much as they have gifted me with a wonderful filing cabinet of memories and experiences which are very useful when putting pen to paper. I move between non-fiction health books and posts and fairy stories, romance and humour. I love variety which is why I called my blog Smorgasbord Invitation and you will find a wide range of subjects. You can find the whole story here.
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Sally, you were a good sport about the Houston heat and humidity. When we lived there from July, 1985 to December, 1986, I hated the climate. I much prefer it here in Fort Worth, in North Texas. Yes, it’s beastly hot but the humidity is not nearly as bad, and we actually enjoy changes of season.
I’m glad you made good friends while in Houston. They make life so much better.

Pity we did not know each other back then Lyn… it would have been great to meet in person. My hair just went frizzy and in the end I gave up trying to straighten it.. in the end I gave up and had it cropped short. We were very lucky to meet the people we did and we are still in touch with several.. hugsxxx

I would have loved to meet you, Sally. Back then I was going through a rough time because my mom died of pancreatic cancer just before we moved to Texas. My kids were a blessing. They kept me going. We also made friends in our neighborhood. like you, I kept in touch with some for several years after we moved to Fort Worth. Hugs back!

Love your letters Sal. You must have kept your parents entertained with your details and witty remarks. And can I ever agree with you on commercial ads. Amazing how they have those gross ones in particular, well timed for dinner. Here, we get a graphic of toenail fungus commercial, perfectly timed at dinner. So gross!!!!!!!! LOL 🙂 ❤

You look fabulous with your lovely tan. It´s so funny about the commercials on TV. I don´t like watching BBC because there are no ad breaks! I guess it´s all what you’re used to. But I do things during ads like wash dishes, do laundry, make a cup of tea, write in my journal etc. I never actually watch them. (unless there is a dog featured, of course, then I watch it). VCRs were great though for if you weren´t available to watch your favourite show at the time it was aired.

Life in Houston in 1985 just kept getting hotter and hotter in July…the humidity was hair curling but we still had a blast. My weekly letters home that I am now reading again for the first time in 33 years as I post, reveal all the small memories you tend to forget.

Key Lime pie… #yum and I agree that the VCR was a Godsend to allow us to speed past those pesky commercials… Even though that was my job at the time, to write and produce television commercials, once I was done, I really didn’t need to see them again.

Thank you for sharing this amazing insight it does sound glamorous! The years 1985 1987, I had I had three boys two teenagers and a toddler. So I was busy but with mundane things mind you like you my hubby was away a great deal with work. I was between 32/34 years. 💜💜😀😀

We were the same age then Willow as I was 32 when we arrived. We didn’t have children so you were doing far more responsible and important things than I did… I knew once we returned to the UK I would be back out to work full-time again so was determined to make the most of it. In the end I had traveled down both coasts and across the middle and visited many of the major cities. A time to cherish. xxx

Yes indeed I agree you had to make the most of the opportunity. I hope I didn’t come across as jealous I am just amazed at how different we all are . It sounds like you had a ball. No I know no one has it on a plate no one escapes from the trials of life. They are just different. 😀 I really love reading your letters 😀